Today. two fabulous picture books which I have thoroughly enjoyed recently!

Full of self confidence, Hoot Owl (self proclaimed Master of Disguise) sets out to catch some dinner as he is hungry. What follows is a hilarious series of failed attempts - none of which dampens Hoot Owl's opinion!

The illustrations are wonderful! Thick lines, bold, block colours and simple shapes combine to create appealing characters whose big eyes fix you with a firm gaze. Each illustration could be used to generate vocabulary, to inspire cartoon strips/ art work and to create further stories.

The quality of language chosen is a real delight to read. There is no dumbing down here! Rich choices bring Hoot Owl's activities to life, with humour in every line. There are many opportunities to play with language- creating similes, over-blown descriptions... What else might Hoot Owl disguise himself as and how might it go wrong?

A wonderful text to inspire children's own ideas and develop their love of a good book! I know it's a rotten pun, but what a hoot this book is! And I managed to find a copy signed by Sean Taylor... Now I just need to track down Jean Jullien!

Rabbityness is another treasure I discovered lately!

A very different, but equally brilliant book, 'Rabbityness' celebrates being an individual and facing loss.

Vibrant illustrations fill some pages in contrast with other pages of simplicity and space. You feel Rabbit's energy and presence on some - and his absence on others-which offers an excellent opportunity to discuss loss of any kind and the effect it has on others. The story is poignant and thought provoking as well as being a lovely one to read aloud.

Once again, this is a book which lends itself to being at the heart of so much work across the curriculum- art, literacy, PSHE...

Work is being planned based on each of these special books which will be added to our members' section soon!